Groupe INSEEC creates a Foundation to foster entrepreneurial mindset and innovative partnerships in Silicon Valley
INSEEC appoints Alain Labat, an INSEEC Alumnus as President of the INSEEC Foundation.
SILICON VALLEY- PARIS. December 1, 2016. INSEEC Group has created a foundation to give itself a new tool to promote a culture of innovation for the benefit of their students. In this context, Groupe INSEEC announces a new partnership with the CITRIS Foundry startup accelerator along with an investment in its affiliated venture fund, Blue Bear Ventures (BBV). This new venture capital fund will invest principally in start-ups from UC Berkeley, the top public university in the world, and the broader University of California system. Launched in 2013 on the UC Berkeley campus, the CITRIS Foundry is a highly selective program for the top 10% of start- ups that are building transformative technology companies in energy, robotics, health, agriculture, and other markets of the future.
By building stronger ties to the UC Berkeley and Silicon Valley ecosystems, Groupe INSEEC has strengthened its international positioning on entrepreneurship and technology.
Alain Labat, President of the INSEEC Foundation has declared: “I’m very pleased to lead this innovative venture for Groupe INSEEC in Silicon Valley. Establishing this partnership with a leading start-up accelerator program on the Berkeley campus is strategically important for the INSEEC students interested in entrepreneurship and technologies of the future in Silicon Valley. It is also synergistic with our work at Harvest Management Partners, where we are looking for technologies to pair with our advisory clients as well as help these companies later on when they need help with their strategic exit plans”
Groupe INSEEC’s Executive Director Catherine Lespine commented: “After successfully launching an office for our students in the Financial District of San Francisco to benefit from innovation- and entrepreneurship-focused “Learning Expeditions”, we naturally sought a strategy to allow us to go even further. Being a financial and programmatic partner of Blue Bear Ventures is an exciting project that demonstrates our commitment to building strong relationships within the Silicon Valley ecosystem.”
Patrick Scaglia, co-founder of the CITRIS Foundry and Managing Director of BBV said: “We are very pleased to receive this initial investment from the INSEEC Foundation in Blue Bear Ventures; this reflects the strategic vision of Groupe INSEEC and its management of the Foundation.
Additionally, this partnership provides the opportunity for the Groupe INSEEC business students to participate in the CITRIS Foundry Fellows program, working alongside the next generation of transformative technology start-ups and contributing to their success.”
Media Contacts:
Alain Labat for INSEEC Foundation: alabat@harvestmp.com Peter Minor, Ph.D. for CITRIS Foundry: pminor@berkeley.edu
About Harvest Management Partners LLC
Harvest Management Partners LLC is a Silicon Valley based investment bank, specializing in company financial assessment, advisory services, plan of action development, strategic marketing, and worldwide negotiation of mergers and acquisitions. Harvest Management Partners is well positioned to provide a comprehensive set of unique services for their clients. For more information, visit www.harvestmp.com